WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – The replacement for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is already turning political.
Within hours of Ginsburg’s death Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced there will be a vote.
President Donald Trump said, “I will be putting forth the nominee next week. It will be a woman.” Frontrunners include two conservative Trump appointees.
Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar said, “The way this happened so close to the election, the next president should be able to make the decision.”
It’s an about-face from four years ago when Democrats pushed and Republicans blocked President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee months before the election. In March of 2016, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said, “Let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination and you can use my words against me.”
Today, Republicans are defending a different approach. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) said, “When you have both parties in the White House and the Senate, historically the confirmation goes forward. And that’s what’s going to happen here.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, appealed directly to Republicans. “Please, follow your conscience,” he said. “If I win this election, President Trump’s nominee should be withdrawn.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is hinting at possibly using impeachment to stop it. “We have our options,” she said. “We have arrows in our quiver.”
It’s a volatile political and legal showdown just 43 days before the election.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.